


Denial

by tsumekakusu



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 16:15:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16043999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsumekakusu/pseuds/tsumekakusu
Summary: "It's not that bad. I've had worse."





	Denial

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry everyone, I promised a fluffy fic, but it turned out to be hurt/comfort. Hope you like it anyways!
> 
> [This fic was inspired by the song Digging Holes (Ana wo hotteiru) by Amazarashi. If you watch the music video, please make sure to watch until the very end.]

_ It’s not that bad. _

He wraps his arms around his knees, pulling them closer to his chest. He winces as pain sparks from both feet, traveling all the way up his legs.

He gently kneads his sore thighs, groaning as he slides his hands down his calves. A soft hiss escapes his lips as he takes off his socks, eyes widening at the blisters covering his feet.

_ Shit, shit shit! _

He knows he should have stopped playing when he felt the first signs of pain.

_ But I’ve had worse. _

~~~~~~~~~~

_ It’s not that bad.   _

His steps are light as he makes his way to his best friend’s house. He takes a deep breath before ringing the doorbell, subconsciously shifting his weight from foot-to-foot.

He only has to wait a few seconds before the door opens, revealing a tall, sleepy blonde.

“Good morning, Tsukki!”

“Morning Yamaguchi,” Tsukishima mutters, striding out. He locks the door behind him before following after his friend.

He’s used to their silent morning walks, cherishes them even, but something doesn’t feel right today. It’s like an unspoken tension has curled around them, forcing them to-

“What are you so excited for?”

“Huh?”

“You’re walking weird,” Tsukishima mutters, eyeing Yamaguchi’s feet.

“Oh, I’m just excited for practice, that’s all!” Yamaguchi huffs out a laugh, skipping a few paces away. He immediately regrets his decision, walking back to Tsukishima’s side.

_ Shoot, I hope I didn’t pop a blister. _

“If you say so.” Tsukishima continues to eye him as they pass through the school gate.

Yamaguchi shifts his bag to his other shoulder, fingers fidgeting with the strap. He pretends not to notice his best friend’s gaze, ignoring the waves of guilt rolling through his stomach and up his throat.

He wants to tell him, he really does-

_ But I’ve had worse. _

~~~~~~~~~~

_ It’s not that bad.  _

He forces himself to focus as he bounces the volleyball once- twice- three times. He tosses it up in the air, takes a deep breath, and jumps.

He hits the ball on the heel of his hand, grinning as he watches it fly over the net. He misses where it lands on the other side of the court as his knees nearly buckle, hands outstretched in case he falls.

“Nice one, Yamaguchi!”

He looks up to see Nishinoya-senpai in a receiving position, a recently hit volleyball,  _ his serve, _ soaring up in a perfect arc back to the setter’s position.

He wants to cry.

He wants to give up.

He wants to go home and take a hot bath, forget about volleyball, forget about tests, forget about everything-

“It’s your turn to receive.”

He startles at the voice behind him, wincing as his right toe hits the ground.  _ Hard _ .

_ There goes another blister. _

“Sorry, Tsukki!” It’s practically reflex as he turns toward the taller boy, a huge grin splitting his face.

Tsukishima’s frozen for a second before he gives him a silent nod. He picks up the closest ball, rolling it between his fingertips.

Yamaguchi watches on, mesmerized by his best friend’s long fingers. He wants to hold them in his hands, kiss them,  _ bite  _ them-

“Yamaguchi, it’s your turn to receive!”

“Sorry!” he runs over to the other side of the court, barely dodging a stray serve.

“Hinata! Watch where you’re serving!”

“Sorry!”

“Hinata boke! Stop serving if you’re just gonna-”

_ Bam!!! _

He hears the hit before he feels it, the hollow sound resonating through his whole skull. Pain erupts in the back of his head, his feet stuttering to a teetering stop.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to-!”

“Dumbass Hinata! I told you to-

“I’m fine, I’m fine! I haven’t been hit in the head as much as Hinata, but a volleyball can’t kill me!” he reassures, waving his arms. His eyesight’s a bit blurry, but he knows it’ll clear up in a second, or a few minutes at most.

“I’m taking you to the infirmary.”

“What?” Yamaguchi turns to see Tsukishima towering over him. “No, I said I’m fine!”

“You’re not fine. You’ve been weird since this morning-”

“I’m not missing practice because of a slight bump on the head.” He stands his ground, smiling up at his best friend.

_ I’ve had worse. _

Tsukishima scowls, his eyes narrowing down on Yamaguchi before he walks back to the other side of the court.

~~~~~~~~~~

_ It’s not that bad.  _

He holds an ice pack to his head, humming along to the theme song of his favorite anime. He’d rejected Tsukishima’s offer to go over to his house today, and he can’t say that he doesn’t regret it.

Anxiety crawls up his arms and he pulls a pillow into his lap, hugging it to his chest. The ice pack slides off his head, falling to the ground. He leans back against the worn couch, closing his eyes.

Sometimes he wonders why someone like Tsukishima even bothers to be his friend. He’s handsome, tall, athletic, smart- He could do so much better than a lanky boy who can barely hit a serve over the net.

He kicks the ice bag, wincing as a blister makes itself known on his pinky toe. He shrinks further into himself, eyes glued to his cellphone.

Tsukishima hasn’t messaged him since they parted ways on their walk home.

He wants to call him, to tell him he’s hurting, to tell him how much he  _ needs him- _

_ But I’ve had worse. _

~~~~~~~~~~

_ It’s not that bad.  _

He coughs into his elbow, closing his eyes as he feels a sneeze coming.

He’d barely gotten any sleep from the various pains pulsing through his body, not to mention the ice bag he’d fallen asleep on, on his pillow. 

_ Hakshu!  _ His body shakes with the force of the sneeze, and he grimaces as he’s forced to open his mouth to take his next breath.

He rummages through his bag for a tissue, frowning when he doesn’t find any.

Another sneeze shakes his body, and he puts both hands on his knees, trying to regain his balance.

He feels the pounding in his head get louder- faster- his breaths coming in soft pants.

He knows he should go home and check his temperature. Maybe even take some medicine while he’s at it.

_ But I’ve had worse. _

~~~~~~~~~~

_ It’s not that bad.  _

He stumbles his way through practice, forcing down every cough and sneeze. By the time it's over, he feels like he’s about to explode.

“I’m heading out first!”

He doesn’t wait for an answer before he sprints to the bathroom.

His next exhale is wracked with coughs- deep, rattling coughs that have him wheezing by the end.

“I knew something was wrong with you.”

“Tsukki-” He’s cut off by another fit, his knees buckling underneath him. “It’s not-”

“It is. It’s bad. You’re in pain. You’re in denial. I don’t know which one’s worse.” Tsukishima whispers, catching Yamaguchi before his knees hit the ground.

“But I’ve had-”

“I don’t care if you’ve had worse. I don’t care if you think it’s not worth mentioning.” Tsukishima wraps his arms around the other boy, pulling him onto his lap. “You shouldn’t be suffering. You shouldn’t be suffering  _ alone _ .” He whispers the last part, his arms tightening around the other.

“But-”

“Your feet hurt, your head hurts from yesterday, and there’s no way you don’t have a fever.”

“How-?”

“You’re not very good at hiding things, Tadashi.” Tsukishima curls his fingers through Yamaguchi’s hair, gently cradling the back of his head.

“And you’re a little late, Kei,” Yamaguchi smiles, closing his eyes. He lets his head fall against the taller boy’s shoulder, reveling in the comfort of the other’s warmth.

“Are you cold? You’re shaking,” Tsukishima loosens his arms, pulling back to see Yamaguchi’s face. “Why’re you…” he trails off, hands drifting up towards Yamaguchi’s cheek.

“What?” Yamaguchi brings his own hand up to swipe at his cheeks, eyes widening as he watches a drop of water slowly slide down his open palm.

“You’re crying.”

He feels tremors run through his body, waves of relief hitting him like a broken pitching machine. He lets everything go, the anxiety, the loneliness, the pain-

He looks up to see Tsukishima taking off his glasses, before he’s enveloped in warmth again.

“You’re crying too.” He laughs, his arms wrapping around the other’s back. He lets his tears run freely, trusting Tsukishima to catch them, just like he’d saved him so many times before.

_ You are not alone. _

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for the long hiatus! I’ve been really busy this summer and I’ve been feeling really anxious so this fic kind of wrote itself.
> 
> Please make sure to take care of yourselves, and please be wary of new shoes. (I always forget that it takes a week or two to break them in, and I always get blisters, especially with sports shoes!)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu!! or any of the characters!  
> Thanks so much for reading!! ^o^


End file.
